The present invention relates to a method for delivering a compressed gases, such as hydrogen or another compressed gas, to a receiving tank, such as a vehicle fuel tank. Although the invention is discussed herein with regard to delivery of compressed hydrogen gas to fuel tanks of hydrogen-powered vehicles, persons skilled in the art will recognize that the invention has other applications. For example, it may be used to deliver other compressed gases which may or may not be used as fuels, and the compressed gases may be delivered to various types of receiving tanks other than vehicle fuel tanks.
Hydrogen compressed gas is oftentimes supplied through the use of tube trailers. Tube trailers may be filled at a supply depot, offloaded via a compressed gas dispensing station, and return to the supply depot for refilling.
Industry desires to deliver hydrogen and other compressed gases at high pressures, often exceeding the pressure of compressed gas in the tube trailers. The compressed gas from the tube trailer may be compressed further to storage vessels at a compressed gas dispensing station to high pressure compressed gas for dispensing to receiving vessels.
Industry desires to reduce the amount of residual gas in the tube trailer supply vessels prior to refilling the supply vessels. This will reduce the frequency of refilling the supply vessels.
Industry also desires to suitably provide compressed gas to receiving vessels, such that the receiving vessels obtain a sufficient and/or desired charge of compressed gas at any and all times, by maintaining storage vessels of a dispensing station at suitably high pressures.